During my 8 years of Linux on and off usage I have tried more distros than I have chocolate bars. Each one of my previous encounters meant that I had to spend at least 2 days configuring before I have a desktop that I was somewhat comfortable with. With Ubuntu Feisty Fawn's latest test beta --for the first time ever-- this was not the case. I was up and running with all the niceties I wanted within 2 hours.

{If connected to the internet, this occurs automatically when you enter your key. If not connected, you may have to call a free 1-800 number. This could be seen as an annoyance. }

It is more than an mere annoyance. This *cough* feature combined with WGA, if someone else uses your key or installs some malware it is possible that you will be locked out of your own computer!

{ and you will need a lot of additional third-party CDs that are not from Microsoft

Why?

and many of them will be specific to the computer you are trying to install on.

I'm not sure I understand this. }

Obviously you have never installed Windows on a blank machine.

You will likely need a separate install CD (other than the Windows disk) for each of: your printer, your video card and your sound. It is possible you will need an install CD for your network card, and you certainly will if you have a wireless connection. You might even need a CD or other media for something as simple as your modem, your mouse or your monitor!

{ I didn't see any "fuss" noted, save the entering of a single CD key. }

That is not accurate. If you put in just the Windows CD (and only the Windows CD) and one key, you are likely to have VGA-resolution video, no 3D acceleration, and no sound. You may not have any network card, and you won't have any wireless. You certainly won't be able to print anything. If you do get connected to the net, you would be compromised in less than a few minutes without a decent firewall and virus scanner. You won't get any significant applications without entering yet more keys.

{ Your computer will "just work", as well. }

Typically, no it will not. Not right away. Not without feeding in half-a-dozen extra CDs (apart from the Windows CD, and each extra driver CD specific to your hardware), and you will utterly bork your system if you put in an install CD for the wrong motherboard, or something like that.

Typically, however, it will "just work" after installing a modern Linux from an install CD.

{ You will be able to do simple OPERATING SYSTEM tasks such as changing your monitor's resolution and refresh rate. }

No. Sorry, typically that is not so. On Windows, you will have to get the install CD from the manufacturer of your video card, and install the drivers from there, before you can do this.

On Kubuntu, PCLinuxOS and SuSe Linux you can however do this very operation straight after the install from liveCD.

{ You will be able to listen to MP3's}

This is true also for PCLinuxOS. For Kubuntu and SuSe, you have to set an extra repository in your package manager. Even if you have to do this, i is far easier to do than the half-dozen extra CDs and phonecall to Microsoft that are required for a successful Windows install on to a blank machine.

{ your network/wifi will work, and video card hardware acceleration will work }

Typically, no they won't. All of these typically each require additional install disks (other than the Windows CD) before they will work. If you happen to get the wrong CD (say you have more than one machine, with a different motherboard or video card) then you will scramble the Windows install and you will have to start over again.

{ Linux is just more difficult to get working than Windows. }

Sorry, that is just not so. Unlike Windows, Linux is a one-disk install without any keys, activation steps, registration phone calls, or required additional components (lest it be compromised), and there is no threat of viruses or malware or failing WGA checks that will make it not work.

{ Because I make this statement, does NOT mean that I think "Linux sucks" or even that "Windows is better". }

Fine. Because you make that statement, doesn't make that statement correct, either. What you think is simply not relevant to the reality.